Grooming is going out of style for many men this November as No-Shave November picks up steam.

On the heels of breast cancer awareness month in October, men use November to grow their facial hair for a variety of charities and/or to raise awareness for men’s health issues. Students and others around the globe are getting involved.

Connor Reisenbigler , a sophomore in business administration, is among those refusing to shave this November.

“[I’m doing it] for raising awareness for prostate cancer,” Reisenbigler said. “It’s just a fun way to let people know it’s out there.”

Many students, including Reisenbigler , are struggling to maintain their work’s hygiene codes.

“I work for Chipotle so I don’t know how long I’m going to be able to do it before they tell me to shave it, but I thought I could go till they told me to stop,” Reisenbigler said.

The beards aren’t all that are in, however. Many men are growing mustaches.

Movember , a charity for which men grow mustaches and enlist donors, has grown significantly in the U.S . and supports Livestrong and the Prostate Cancer Foundation.

Not to be confused as another name for No-Shave November, Movember began in 2003 in Melbourne, Australia and came to North America in 2007, according to Lisa Potter, Movember’s public relations officer.

“Last year in the U.S . we had just under 65,000 people register and so far in the U.S . [this year] we’ve had almost 123,000 people register,” Potter said. “Last year we raised $7.5 million and expect to raise a minimum $10 million or more this year.”

Brandon Sutter of the Carolina Hurricanes is participating for the second time since he found out about it through its huge Canadian following. He has enlisted two of his teammates this year, Derek Joslin and Jamie McBain .

“It’s a great way to raise a bit of money. It’s kind of a fun way to do it,” Sutter said. “I think some of the guys are a little embarrassed to grow a mustache but the three of us are having fun with it for sure.”

Movember has caught on in parts of the college community, Potter said.

“It’s been a great way for both fraternities and sororities to get behind and have a group effort,” Potter said.

Women are getting in on the action too, whether by growing or supporting. Potter said that for Movember, 20 percent of participants and 60 percent of donors are female.

“What’s really cool is that you are coming off October which is breast cancer awareness month and women’s health, and I think women are really getting behind [that], then turning the focus to the men in their life in [November],” Potter said.

Due to the flashiness of a mustache, it becomes an icebreaker for men to raise awareness for men’s health issues, according to Potter.

“One in two men will get cancer in their lifetime,” Potter said. “For college age students, testicular cancer is the most diagnosed cancer for men between ages 18 to 35. Prostate cancer will affect one in six.”

For Michael Vuke, a junior in communication, it was precisely those kinds of facts that prompted him to join Movember.

“I didn’t know much of this stuff and I know most guys my age don’t, so we need to get this out there so we know how to treat and prevent it when possible,” Vuke said.

 Once the hair begins growing, that’s when the fun part begins.

Reisenbigler said he is going ‘au natural’ with his beard.

“I grow in patches. I mean, I can grow a mustache but everything else grows in patches,” Reisenbigler said. “It’s just gonna look whatever it looks like I guess.”

Sutter said his mustache won’t be too creative.

“I don’t think mine’s going to be quite able to style,” Sutter said. “I’m going to just do my best to grow a full one and hopefully it looks all right.

Popular ‘staches include Tom Selleck’s, which has caught Vuke’s eye.

“He’s kind of the god of moustaches,” Vuke said. “But honestly I’ll take whatever I can get at this point. I’ve made some progress—it’s actually noticeable now—but unfortunately I don’t think I will be able to do anything too crazy.”

From Potter’s experience at Movember, the trucker look has fallen out of favor in lieu of other things—like the 70s ‘stache.

 ”It doesn’t come too far down on the mouth like a handlebar. It’s just a nice, bushy, beautiful 70s porn star,” Potter said.

When it all comes down to it, however, it’s about men’s health.

“For us it’s really about getting men to be proactive about their health,” Potter said, “see a doctor for an annual physical…and really take charge of their health much like women often do, thanks to the women’s health movement.”